What a QR payment actually is
A payment QR code encodes a web address — your payment link. When a customer scans it with their phone camera, that page opens and shows what they owe; they tap to pay by card or ACH bank transfer and they're done. It works in person (a sticker, a sign, a phone screen) or printed on an invoice or receipt. No card reader, no terminal, no app for the customer to install.
Setting one up
With Holdings, QR codes and payment links are included on the Free $0/mo plan. Generate a code for a fixed amount or an open one the customer fills in, then put it wherever your customers are — on the counter, on the invoice, on a flyer. You're charged 3% + $0.30 only when someone actually pays. Funds settle into your Holdings account like any other deposit.
Why the scan is also the bookkeeping
On most setups, a QR payment is just the start: it has to flow from the processor into your bank, then into your accounting software, then get reconciled. With Holdings the bank is the books, so a scan-and-pay is one event — the deposit and the journal entry are recorded together, automatically. The sale is in your books the moment it happens, with nothing to reconcile later.
How to accept QR code payments
- 1
Generate a payment QR code
In Holdings (free on the $0/mo plan), create a QR code for a set amount or an open amount the customer enters.
- 2
Display it where customers are
Put the code on the counter, on a sign, on an invoice, or on your phone screen. Anyone can scan it with their camera.
- 3
Customer scans and pays
The payment page opens; they pay by card or ACH in seconds with no app or account. You pay 3% + $0.30 per payment.
- 4
It posts to your books automatically
The deposit and the journal entry are the same event, so the sale is recorded the moment it's paid — nothing to reconcile.
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Frequently asked questions
Do customers need an app to pay a QR code?
No. They scan the code with their phone's built-in camera, which opens your payment page in a browser. They pay by card or bank transfer without downloading anything or creating an account.
What does it cost to take QR code payments?
With Holdings, generating QR codes is free on the $0/mo plan. You pay 3% + $0.30 per payment only when a customer actually pays you by card or ACH — no monthly fee and no hardware to buy.
Where does the money go after a QR payment?
It settles into your Holdings account like any other deposit. Because the account is also your books, the payment is recorded as it lands — the deposit and the journal entry are one event.